Plating device for wrap yarns



Dec. 24, 1940. w. GROTHEY 2,225,829

PLATING DEVICE FOR WRAP YARNS Filed llarqh 10, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 5. .5. A T INVENTOR IVAN W. GROTl-IEY BY HIS ATTORNEYS Dec. 1940- I. W.'-GROTHEY 2,225,829

PLATING DEVICE FOR WRAP YARNS Filed March 10, 19:9 4 Sheet-Sheet 2 2 EN TOR IVAN GROTHEY BY HIS ATTORNEYS Dec. 24, 1940. 1. w. GROTHE Y PLATING DEVICE FOR WRAP YARNS Filed March 10, l939 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR IVAN W. GROTHEY BY HIS ATTORNEYS Dec.24, 1940. 7 l. W.GROTHEY 2,225,829

PLATING DEVICE FOR WRAP YARNS Filed March 10, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR IVAN W. GROTHEY BY HIS ATTORNEYS MMM Patented Dec. 24, 1940 UNITED STATES PLATING DEVICE FOR WRAP YARNS Ivan W. Grothey, Laconia, N. H., assignor to Scott & Williams, Incorporated, Laconia, N. E, a corporation of Massachusetts Application March 10, 1939, Serial No. 261,067

17 Claims.

This invention relates to knitting machines and more particularly to circular knitting machines having means for knitting wrap embroidery yarnsin addition to the body yarn or yarns to form embroidery patterns on the knit fabric during the knitting thereof and it is an object of this invention to provide a plating device and guard for the wrap yarns which will prevent the engagement of the wrap yarns with needle latches and with needles other than the needles selected to take and knit the wrap yarns and it is a further object of this invention to provide a device which will remain in engagement with the wrap yarns until after the loops thereof have been drawn at the knitting point whereby the length of the wrap yarn extending from the last wrap yarn loop of one course to the first wrap yarn loop of the succeeding course is lengthened to provide a slight amount of slack therein and the covering eifect of the wrap yarns and the resulting embroidery patterns are improved. It is also an object of this invention to provide a device having pattern controlled means whereby it is placed in its operative and inoperative conditions with the introduction and withdrawal, respectively, of the wrap yarns and may be held in its inoperative condition during reciprocatory knitting so as to avoid interference with the heel pocket.

In the drawings in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown- Figure 1 is a partial view in elevation of the upper portion of a knitting machine with a device in accordance with this invention applied thereto, only suflicient of the parts of the knitting machine being shown as is necessary to illustrate the invention;

. Figure 2 is a partial view in elevation showing ,the pattern controlled means for operating the device between its operative and inoperative 40 positions;

Figure 3 is a partial horizontal sectional view taken as on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1', showing the device in its operative position and part of its connection to the pattern controlled operating 45 means, the device being shown'in its operative position; T

Figure 4 is a partial vertical sectional view taken as on the line 44 of Figure 3, parts of the dial and the supporting means for the device be- 50 ing broken away to show the relation of the wrap yarns to the device and the needles more clearly, the device being shown in its operative position;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing the device in its inoperative position;

Figures 6 and 7 are sectional views, drawn to a larger scale and taken at a point on the needle circle just after the drawing of the loop is completed, showing the relation of the device to the completed loops, Figure 6 showing a wale having a wrap yarn and Figure 7 showing a wale without a wrap yarn;

Figure 8 is a perspective view of that portion of the device which fits within the needle circle and its supporting means shown detached from the knitting machine; and

Figure 9 is a view partly in elevation and partly in vertical section of a supporting and guiding means for an operating portion of the device shown detached from the machine and the remainder of the device and its operating means.

In the drawings a device for guarding and holding wrap yarns in accordance with this invention is shown, for the purpose of illustration, in connection with a, Scott and Williams circular knitting machine arranged to knit both plain and 20 ribbed fabric during the knitting of a stocking and to incorporate wrap or embroidery yarns in the plain knit fabric during the knitting thereof to form embroidery pattern thereon, such as the machine shown in the patent to Grothey, No. 2,053,192, dated September 1, 1936, but it is to be understood the invention is not limited in its use to such a-machine.

In the drawings; in which there are shown only such parts of the machine of the Grothey Patent No. 2,053,192 as are necessary to illustrate the invention, the bed plate B carries the operating cams (not shown), for the needles N in the needle cylinder 260 and supports the sinker cam ring 295 and sinker cam cap 300 with-the usual sinkers w and the latch guard ring 550 in the usual manner. The dial D is supported for rotation by the supporting means 4M which also supports the wrap yarn fingers I61 and the plate 840 on which is carried the bobbins of the wrap yams. A cam I50 supported from the dial supporting means guides the lower ends of the wrap yarn fingers 161 when they are not being operated to wrap their yarns about selected cylinder needles. As in the construction of the Grothey Patent No. 2,053,192, each wrap yam finger IE1 is operated to swing its lower end outwardly in advance of the needles selected to take the wrap yarn W of that finger just before the wrap yarn finger reaches the usual abutment in order to lay the wrap yarn in front of the abutment for engagement by the selected needles and after passing the abutment, the yarn finger is retumed across the needle circle, withdrawing the wrap yarn from in front of the abutment 30, permitting it to pass along beneath the extension 30' of the abutment 30 and completing the wrapping of the wrap yarn about the selected needle or needles.

A plating device and guard in accordance with this invention comprises a tubular member 44 supported from the latch guard ring 550 by a curved supporting member M which is provided with a plate portion 42 by which the member 4| is secured to the ring 550. The supporting member H is of sufficient height to clear the raised selected needles as they pass and the member is so proportioned and shaped that the tubular member fits closely inside the circle formed by the raised selected needles and below the abutment extension 30 when the plate portion 42 is secured to the ring 55!] adjacent to the abutment 30 as shown in Figure 3. The portion of the tubular member 40 extending from the support 4I towards the throat plate of the machine not only follows the needle circle but is directed downwardly for a portion of its length to follow. so that its end is but slightly above the level of the unselected needles when those needles are raised to take the body yarn Y at the yarn finger Slidably mounted in the tubular member 40 is a flexible wire or cable 44 of the nature of a Bowden wire, which in its operative condition projects beyond the end of the tubular member 40 and continues substantially in the arcuate and downward directions of the tubular member 40 close to the needle circle and extends beyond the point at which the drawing of the loops of the body and wrap yarns is completed.

To operate the wire or cable 44 between its projected or operative position and a retracted or inoperative position there is provided a lever 50 pivotally mounted, as at 5|, on a suitable support carried by the machine frame and having one end thereof positioned to be engaged by cams I22 and I23 on a drum I20 carried by a shaft 80. The drum I20.may be the usual main pattern drum or a suitable auxiliary drum fixed on the shaft of the main pattern drum or rotated in timed relation with the main pattern drum by a suitable connection with the main pattern drum shaft. To the other end of the lever 60 there is pivotally connected a clamp 62 in which is secured an end of the cable or wire 44. The wire 44 extends through a section of the -usual flexible metallic conduit or covering 45 which is held in position by means of a clip 46 which secures an end of the covering 45 to a bracket 41 mounted on the machine bed plate B. The other end of the covering 45 is attached by a coupling 48 to a tube 50 which is held by a clamp 5I carried by the dial supporting means 4!. The wire 44 extends through the cover 45, coupling 48 and tube 50 and also through a second tube 52 which is slidably mounted in the tube 50 and guided thereby. The tube 52 is split for a short distance at its outer end and provided with a collar 53 having a set screw 54 therein by which the split end of the tube 52 may be clamped to the wire 44 so as to move with the wire 44 and serve as a guide therefor.

The adjacent ends of the tubes 52 and 40 are so positioned and directed that the tube 52 is alined with the adacent end portion of the tube 40. A spring 55 secured to the set screw 54 and to a clip 56 secured to the ring 550 serves to move the tube 52 against the end of the tube 40 when a cam moves from beneath the end of the lever 60 and the movement of the tube 52 and the wire 44. is limited thereby.

In the arrangement shown, when the end of the lever 50 is clear of the cams I22 and I23 on the drum I 20* and the tube 52 has been drawn into engagement with the tube 40, the wire 44 projects from the end of the tube 40 to its operative position as shown in Figures 3 and 4. When a cam I22 or I23 passes beneath the lever 60 the tube 52 is drawn away from the tube 40 and the wire 44 is drawn into the tube 40-to its retracted or inoperative position as shown in Figure 5. The cams I22 and I23 are arranged to hold the wire 44 retracted when the wrap yarns are not being fed to the needles, the cam I22 holding the wire 44 retracted during the knitting of the heel and the cam I23 holding it retracted during the knitting of the toe and the stocking top.

During the knitting of the top the wire 40 is held retracted by the engagement of the cam I23 with the lever 60 and the wrap yarns pass from the wrap yarn fingers I61 over the edge of the dial D and down within the needle circle being held under suitable tension either by means of a suitable weight or by their connection with the previously knit stocking when the stockings are knit in a string. At this time the wrap yarns pass beneath the tube-40 throughout its length and do not engage therewith. Upon completion of the top and the knitting of the courses of the leg prior to the introduction of the wrap yarns the operation of the drum I20 shifts the cam I23 from its engagement with the lever 60 permitting the operation of the lever 60, the return of the tube 52 to engagement with the tube 40 and the projection of the wire 44 from the end of the tube 40 to its operative position in which it extends in front of the throat plate and beyond the knitting point. At this time the wrap yarn finger operaing cam is placed in operative position causing the wrap yarn fingers 161 to be swung outwardly over the needle circle and the tube 40 between the support 4| for the tube 40 and the abutment 30. Moving the wrap yarn fingers I51 outwardly positions the wrap yarns to be taken by the raised selected needles and after the raised selected needles having taken a wrap yarn and the wrap yarn finger is returned inwardly across the needle circle the wrap yarn passes from in front of the abutment 30 and under the extension 30 of the abutment 30 so that, at this time the wrap yarn extends from the wrap yarn finger under the extension 30, around the selected needles, back over the tube 40 and in front of the dial D to the fabric as shown in Figures 3 and 4 and the tube 40 prevents the wrap yarn being taken by the unselected needles.

Continued rotation of the needle cylinder and lowering of the needles takes the wrap yarn from the extension 3|! but continues to draw the wrap yarn over the tube 40. As the needles having the wrap yarn reach the throat plate to take the main or body yarn Y fed by a yarn finger F, the wrap yam-passes from the tube 40 to the wire and the wrap yarn extends over the wire 44 throughout the lowering of the needles for the drawing of the loops of the body and wrap yarns and the casting off of the loops of the previously knit course. After the completion of the draw- .ing of the loops of the body and wrap yarns the wrap yarn passes from the wire 44. Keeping the wrap yarn drawn over the wire 44 until the drawing of the loops is completed and then moving the wrap yarn from the wire provides a slight extra length of the wrap yarn between the loops in the to prevent sinking of the wrap yarn in the fabric and ensuring that the wrap yarn properly plates the loops of the body yarn in the corresponding wales.

With the construction shown the knitting o the body and wrap yarns continues until the knitting of the heel is begun at which time the wrap yarns are withdrawn from the needles and the cam I22 engages beneath the lever 60 to retract the wire 44 to its inoperative position where it will not be engaged by the heel pocket during the knitting thereof. The wire 44 is held retracted until the knitting of the heel is completed whereupon the wrap yarns are. again fed to the needles and the cam- I22 passes from beneath the lever 60 and the wire 44 is projected to its operative position where it is held until the lever 60 is again operated by the cam I23 upon the withdrawal of the wrap yarns at the completion of the embroidery pattern prior to the beginning of the knitting of the toe.

What is claimed is:

1. In a circular knitting machine, the combination with means for feeding a wrap yarn to selected needles in the knitting of a fabric of a means for holding only sumcient slack in the wrap yarn between successive courses of loops of the wrap yarn to prevent sinking of the wrap yarn in the fabric, said means holding said wrap yarn until after the loops of the wrap yarn are drawn. I

2. In a circular knitting machine, the combination with means for feeding a wrap yarn to selected needles, of a device for engaging the wrap yarn between successive courses having loops of the wrap yarn until after the loops are drawn to provide only sufficient slack to prevent sinking of the wrap yarn in the fabric and pattern controlled means for retracting said device from its yarn engaging position.

3. In a circular knitting machine, the combination with means for feeding a wrap yarn to selected needles, of a deivce for increasing the length of the wrap yarn between successive courses having loops of the wrap yarn, a tubular member engaging the wrap yarn and slidably supporting said device and pattern controlled means for retracting said device within said tubular member.

4. In a circular knitting machine, the combination with meansfor feeding a wrap yarn to selected needles, of a plating device positioned closely within the needle circle for holding sufficient slack in the wrap yarn extending between courses having loops of the wrap yarn until the,

loops of the wrap yarn are drawn to insure proper plating by the wrap yarn.

5. In a circular knitting machine, the combination with means for feeding a wrap yarn to selected needles, of a plating device positioned closely within the needle circle for holding slack in the wrap yarn extending between courses having loops of the wrap yarn until the loops of the wrap yarn are drawn, said plating device having its end at different positions around the needle circle during rotary and reciprocatory knitting.

6. In a circularknltting machine, the combination with means for feeding a wrap yarn to selected needles, of a plating device positioned closely within the needle ,circle for holding slackin the wrap yarn extending between courses hav ing loops of the wrap yarn until the loopsof the a wrap yarn are drawn, said plating device extend- .ing to different positions around the needle circle during rotary and reciprocatory knitting and a pattern controlled means for shifting said device from one position to the other.

7. In a circular knitting machine, the combination with means for feeding a wrap yarn to selected needles, of a plating device positioned closely within the needle circle for positively holding a definite amount of slack in the wrap yarn extending between courses having loops of the wrap yarn until the loops of the wrap yarn are drawn to insure proper plating by the wrap yarn, said plating device being extended during rotary knitting and retracted during reciprocatory knitting.

8. In a circular knitting machine, the combination with means for feeding a wrap yarn to selected needles, of a plating device positioned closely within the needle circle for holding slack in the wrap yarn extending between courses having loops of the wrap yarn until the loops of the wrap yarn are drawn during rotary knitting and means for retracting said plating device circumferentially of the needle circle for reciprocatory knitting.

9. In a circular knitting machine, the combination with means for feeding a wrap yarn to selected needles, of a plating device positioned closely within the needle circle and means for extending said device circumferentially of the.

needle cylinder during rotary knitting for holding slack in the wrap yarn extending between courses having loops of the wrap yarn until the loops of the wrap yarn are drawn, said means retracting said plating device during reciprocatory knitting.

10. In a circular knitting machine, the combination with means for feeding a wrap yarn to selected needles, of means for holding until the loops of the wrap yarn are drawn sufiicient slack in the length of the yarn between successive loops of said wrap yarn which lie in different courses to prevent sinking of said wrap yarn in the fabric being knit and means for shifting said yarn slackening means from its operative position.

11. In a circular knitting machine, the combination with means for feeding a wrap yarn to selected needles, of means for holding until the loops of the wrap yarn are drawn sufilcient slack in the length of the yarn between successive loops of said wrap yarn which lie in different courses to prevent sinking of said wrap yarn in the fabric being knit and pattern controlled.

means for rendering said yarn lengthening means inoperative,

12. In a circular knitting machine, the combination with means for feeding a wrap yarn to selected needles, of means engaging said wrap yarn until the loops are drawn for increasing the length of yarn between successive loops of said wrap yarn which lie in difierent courses sufficiently to prevent sinking of said wrap yarn in the fabric being knit and means for rendering said yarn lengthening means inoperative.

13. In a circular knitting machine, the combination with means for feeding a wrap yarn to selected needles, of means for increasing the length of said yam between successive loops of said yarn which lie in different courses, a tubular support for said yarn lengthening means and means for retracting said yarn lengthening means within said support.

14. In a circular knitting machine, the combination with means for feeding a wrap yarn to selected needles, of means extending between the needles and the lengthof, wrap yarn extenduntil the loops of the wrap yarn are drawn, said means increasing the length of said wrap yarn between successively wrapped courses sufliciently to prevent sinking of said wrap yarn in the fabric being knit, and means for rendering said yarn lengthening means inoperative.

15. In a circular knitting machine, the combination with means for feeding a wrap yarn to selected needles, of means extending between the needles and the length of wrap yarn extending between loops in successively wrapped courses until the loops of the wrap yarn are drawn, said means increasing the length of said wrap yarn between successively wrapped courses sufiiciently to prevent sinking of said wrap yarn in the fabric being knit and pattern controlled means for rendering said yarn lengthening means inoperative.

ing between loops in successively wrapped courses 16. In a circular knitting machine, the combination with means for feeding a wrap yarn to selected needles, of means extending between the needles and the length of wrap yarn extending between successively wrapped courses until after the loops of the wrap yarn are drawn for slackening said length of wrap yarn sufllciently to prevent sinking of the wrap yarn in the fabric being knit.

17. In a circular knitting machine, the combination with means for feeding a wrap yarn to selected needles, of a plating device for lengthening the wrap yarn betwee successive wrap courses sufllciently to prevent si ing of the wrap yarn in the fabric being knit, said plating device engaging said wrap yarn until the wrap yarn loops have been drawn.

IVAN W. GROTHEY. 

